Laser waveguide device and laser waveguide system

Abstract

A laser light waveguide device includes laser light provision units that oscillate and cause laser light to exit; a laser light waveguide path formed of an optical fiber capable of guiding the laser light; and a control unit that controls the laser light provision units. The control unit detects an illumination spot (output of the visible laser light) based on a captured image, captured by an image capturing unit, of a laser light illumination area and an area close thereto illuminated with the laser light, and controls exit of the infrared laser light by the infrared laser light provision unit based on a result of detection of the illumination spot (output of the visible laser light).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A laser light waveguide system, comprising:
 an infrared laser light output unit that emits invisible infrared laser light; 
 a visible laser light output unit that emits visible laser light; 
 an endoscope that includes an image capturing unit at a tip of the endoscope; 
 a laser light waveguide path formed of an optical fiber capable of guiding both the infrared laser light and the visible laser light and arranged either inside or outside of the endoscope; and 
 a control unit that controls the infrared laser light output unit and the visible laser light output unit, wherein 
 the control unit detects an output of the visible laser light based on a captured image, captured by the image capturing unit, of a laser light illumination area and an area close thereto illuminated with the visible laser light, and controls emission of the infrared laser light based on a result of detection of the output of the visible laser light. 
 
     
     
       2. The laser light waveguide system according to  claim 1 , wherein the laser light waveguide path is formed of a hollow optical fiber. 
     
     
       3. The laser light waveguide system according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 an illumination unit that illuminates the laser light illumination area and the area close thereto, wherein 
 the control unit controls the illumination unit, and 
 the control unit controls an illumination cycle of the illumination unit so as to be synchronized with a detection cycle of detecting the visible laser light based on the captured image of the laser light illumination area and the area close thereto. 
 
     
     
       4. The laser light waveguide system according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a filter that attenuates background light around the laser light illumination area. 
 
     
     
       5. The laser light waveguide system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control unit controls the visible laser light to emit at a predetermined pulse cycle, and 
 the control unit controls a detection cycle of detecting the visible laser light, based on the captured image of the laser light illumination area and the area close thereto, to be synchronized with a pulse cycle of causing the visible laser light to exit. 
 
     
     
       6. The laser light waveguide system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the image capturing unit captures the image of the laser light illumination area and the area close thereto illuminated with the visible laser light at a pulse cycle, and 
 the control unit detects the visible laser light based on a difference between an output of the captured image when the visible laser light is emitted, and an output of the captured image when the visible laser light is not emitted. 
 
     
     
       7. The laser light waveguide system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the image capturing unit includes a wavelength filter that attenuates light in a visible light wavelength region except for an oscillation wavelength of the visible laser light.